Stuff to do for Free (or Close to Free)

No matter where you might live, there are many fun things to do - for free. It might take a little research, creativity or just a willingness to try something new but your wallet will thank you. You can usually find a state park or metro park website for your state where you are more than welcome to get some fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature. A lot of parks even schedule group hiking or activity events for bird watching, tours, etc. Fishing is also a favorite pastime of mine and although not exactly free (you have to get a license for about $20 for the year) you can fish all year using your own bait. I find worms make the best bait and the kind that you buy, ie, catfish food, smell like, well…like what you would think it smells like.

Also, check out your local library for events especially for kids. They are always having readings, activities or art exhibits for free right there in the library. Our state has a website that lists all of the festivals that go on throughout the state by month. Not all of them are free but there are many that have no admission price. You can go to your local arts center, gallery, or local college and view the exhibits for free. Another one of my favorite pastimes is to go to an area that has more than a few antique shops within walking distance and it’s fun just seeing what is inside. Also, check out your city’s events calendar and see if there is a monthly art walk or gallery showing for free in your area.

If you’re stuck indoors, have a spa day. If you’re like me you have a barrage of mud masks, lotions, nail polishes and more that you don’t use that often. Well, put them to use alone or with a friend. You don’t need fancy equipment or expensive items. Really, a lot of natural masks you can make using ingredients around the house (honey, vinegar, cucumbers, etc.). You can use a large bowl or tub to soak your feet in and use olive oil after exfoliation to get your feet smooth. The only spa treatment you might need help with is a massage.

Another thing you can do is have a themed movie night. Watch comedy movies, horror movies, or remake vs. the original movie. A good resource to get free movies is, again, your local library. They probably won’t have a lot of new releases but they do seem to have harder to find movies.

If you have children, there are even more things to do, especially at home. Check out teacher resources on the web and you can print out coloring pages or activities for the kids to do. Baking cookies together is always a fun activity. The easiest ones to make are homemade sugar cookies and require flour, sugar, baking soda and other ingredients you probably already have. It doesn’t have to be the holidays to make sugar cookies. Let them create their own cookies however they want. Challenge for you - try to have fun for free this week…

Thrift-In the New Year

Let’s face it - we have no idea what 2009 might bring. We can make idle resolutions and reflect on the previous years’ mistakes and misgivings but we still are not sure, financially, what the future will hold. Here’s what we do know - the economy is on a downward spiral into the abyss as is our concept of stability and safety financially. Some of us are unsure if, when and where our next paycheck will be coming from. Some of us are having to make the dollar stretch way further than seemingly possible. Gas prices are down (for now) but everything else is way up, yet it seems we are still getting paid the same, if at all. Well, HELP IS ON THE WAY!

I am a college graduate and I have never landed the dream job you are so aptly believed to get once you graduate. I have diligently applied for jobs from office work to factory to retail, but I have yet to bring in any malleable cash flow. I have been living this way all of my adult life, so when the economic crisis began to rear its ugly head, honestly, things were not that different for me. I am dedicating this website to share with you how to be thrifty, how to stretch your dollar, how to save money and where to save money. I don’t clip coupons or wash the same paper towel until it disintegrates but on my meager income I have plenty of food to eat, wear designer clothes, have a beautifully decorated living space and have zero debt. I am by no means living the “high life,” but I would love to share with you how you can achieve a thrifty lifestyle and remain stylish and content.

Also, it is so much fun when someone asks you how much you paid for the beautiful outfit you’re wearing and their mouth gapes open when you tell them under $20. Besides, doesn’t it make more sense to save your money for the more important things in life such as vacations, a home, a college education, or smart investment rather than wasting it on “stuff?”

I will be featuring actual items on this website that I have purchased and how much I paid for them and then show you how much this item would sell at retail value. Also, I will share the multitude of ways you can be thrifty with gifts, décor, clothing and artwork. Remember what’s important in life - friends, family, love, health and happiness and everything else is just stuff, and I’ll show you how to rock your own style on a thrifty budget. So let’s clear out the clutter and make way for a thriftier state of mind…